Review by the external Panel of Experts

A PEFC-appointed panel of external experts will carry out a quality assurance on the final draft of the assessment report. They provide a general statement on the quality of the report, but can also comment on specific sections of the report regarding the assessor’s consistency and decisions.

The six current members of the Panel of Experts share a wealth of experience and expertise in the field of forest management, environmental and social issues, certification and accreditation.

Their job is to critically review the assessment report drafted by the PEFC Registered Assessor for quality, consistency and transparency. The assessor has to take into account and provide response to the comments made by the Panel of Experts members.

Final assessment report

The assessor will finalize the assessment report, integrating any comments from the Panel of Experts and highlighting any remaining nonconformance. The assessment report will make a recommendation to the PEFC Board of Directors.